


Decus Paternis

by inyron



Category: Angel: the Series
Genre: Angel Book of Days Challenge, Episode: s02e18 Dead End, Episode: s02s19 Belonging, Gen, Season/Series 02
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-05-17
Updated: 2004-05-17
Packaged: 2017-10-31 05:04:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/340238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inyron/pseuds/inyron
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Between "Dead End" and "Belonging."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Decus Paternis

**Author's Note:**

  * For [eloise bright](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=eloise+bright).



It was times like these he missed England the most. Certainly, he was content in L.A.- more than content, really, working the mission and making a difference- but it was spring now, and when the breeze hit the Hyperion's garden just right, Wesley was transported back to a place with open countryside and plentiful vegetation. And not quite as much smog.

"Yo, English!" Gunn called, breaking him out of his reverie. "You coming with?" 

Wesley hurried over to the door, almost tripping over one of the rocks. Luckily Gunn had already turned and followed the others inside. "Ick," Cordelia was complaining. "Is it me, or is it getting sneezy out there?"

"I could take care of something, if it's bothering you," Angel assured her. He was still a bit worried around her, even though the two of them were on good terms. They had been ever since he had bought her all those new clothes- some of which she currently had on. They were rather pretty, Wesley had to admit.

Cordelia waved him off and set herself down on the couch. "No, they're fine. I'm just… ah-" She made a face as though she was going to sneeze, and held it for a few seconds before Angel finally moved, catching her before she hit the ground with the force of her vision. 

Wes and Gunn were on their feet immediately.

She twitched in Angel's arms for a few minutes, unable to get words out and still in obvious pain. "Two children," she finally said. "A boy and a girl, around eight or ten. And a large scaly red monster." She gave them the blessedly precise directions as they gathered the weapons. Angel reluctantly left her side after the other two were ready, grabbing a sword and stalking after them with a pissed-off look in his eye.

"That looked like a tough one," Gunn commented in the car, then they lapsed into silence for the rest of the way.

Wesley began to wonder what type of demon it could be, though he didn't have much to go on from Cordelia's rather broad description. Still: _preparation, preparation, preparation_ had been driven into him since he was young. Wouldn't do to lead his group into battle without being ready for the fight. It was his responsibility now. His group. He was still inordinately pleased at that fact, that they had chosen him, that they were following him. For the most part. And he thought it had been going well. Better than Sunnydale, certainly.

He ignored the nagging doubt that came with that thought. He had messed up on the Hellmouth, that was for sure, but things were different here. Angel and Gunn weren't Buffy and Faith; the respected him, they had chosen him. And he had become a better leader, with all his experience. He was finally ready to apply all his Watcher training. Finally ready to make sure things went right.

***

The fight went extremely well; Angel rushed forward and hacked at the demon while Wesley mentally assessed what kind of demon it might be. Gunn went over to the startled kids to make sure they were okay.

Suddenly, a woman, half in curlers, rushed out into the backyard where they were standing. "What's going on here? What do you think you're doing?" She looked at Angel's bloody sword in horror, then caught sight of the dead demon behind him, which cut off further accusations as her face went white.

"This… creature was attacking your children, ma'am," Wesley spoke up. "But they're going to be just fine now." 

"What're they doing out here so late, anyway?" Gunn asked.

The woman blinked at him. The little girl burst into tears. "Come here. Come here, Suzy, we're going to go inside." The girl just stood there wailing until the woman gathered up the courage to run up to the two children, grab their hands, and rush them inside. Angel looked a bit confused.

Wesley over to where he was, and inspected the dead demon. "I suppose we should take care of that," he sighed.

Gunn looked at the house. "Do you think they'll be all right?"

"They should. Cordelia did only speak of one demon. And everything seems quiet. Angel?"

"Yeah," Angel replied. "There's nothing else around."

"Okay." Gunn was still looking at the house. "Y'know, a thank you would have been nice."

"She was just scared. We do make an imposing three." Gunn snorted, and Wesley shifted his unused crossbow.

Angel looked up. "What? Oh yeah. Imposing."

***

Riding back in the car, Wesley let himself feel the high of a mission accomplished, the satisfaction of a job well done. It was a feeling he never really had before joining Angel in L.A. Oh, he had done well at school, in England, but somehow becoming Head Boy or acing another Linguistics exam didn't quite measure up to actually being out there, facing the demons one-on-one, or helping to save a life. 

Also, it seemed that whenever he had done something he thought he was proud of at home, his father would remind him of all the ways in which he didn't realize he was wrong, all the ways he could have done better. But saving lives was cut and dry; maybe his father would be proud of him now. Maybe, when he called and said he had been put in charge, he was a leader again, it might begin to make up for all his failures in his father's eyes.

He considered calling as soon as they got back to the hotel, but remembered his father's birthday was in a few weeks. He might be in a better mood then, happy to hear from his wayward son. Besides, Wesley was still happy, and Angel was talking about picking up late night Chinese, and he really didn't want to call right now anyway.

Cordelia was lying on the couch, eyes closed tight when they returned. "Did you kill it?" She asked tiredly. "Did you get there in time?"

"Sliced and diced," Gunn replied cheerfully.

"Want some Chinese?" Angel asked. 

Wesley slipped into his office. It was his office, and he was still a bit proud, but it seemed smaller somehow right now. Good mood faltering even more, he started doing general paperwork, going over the finances and expense reports for the business. It wasn't very encouraging.

He looked up and out the clear window across from his desk. He was really glad there was a window there; his office or not, he didn't think he'd be able to stand being in for too long if it was completely shut in on all sides.

He caught a glimpse of Cordelia out the window, still lying on the couch, where Angel looked to be trying to engage her in an apparently one-sided conversation. He frowned, and looked down again. Finally, he put the expense reports away, and pulled out several of his demon reference volumes.

Forty-five minutes later, he had it.

"Where's Gunn?" he snapped at Angel, rushing from his office.

"Kitchen," Angel replied from his spot at his desk, where he had finally retreated to after realizing he was getting nowhere with Cordy. "I'll go get him," he continued, seeing the grim look on Wesley's face.

Wesley looked to Cordelia. "Your vision headache. How is it?"

"Still burns," she muttered through clenched teeth.

"What is it?" Gunn asked, entering the lobby with Angel.

"The kids," Wesley replied. "They're still in danger."

"From the vision?" Cordelia tried to sit up and winced, grabbing her head. "I thought you said you killed the demon." She glared at Angel accusingly.

"I did!"

"We did kill the demon," he reassured her, "but I just researched what kind of demon it was- a Gri'in'lar- and my sources say they're mercenaries. They normally kill and work for pay."

They were all silent for a minute. "But these kids were young," Cordelia said with a shaking voice. "who would want to do that?"

"Cordy," Angel said. "Your vision. Does it still feel unresolved?"

She nodded tearfully. "Something's going on."

"We have to get over there right now."

***

Gri'in'lar, Gri'in'lar… had they ever studied those at the academy? Wesley knew they had done a section on types of mercenary demons, but he didn't remember those. Should he have? He could have recognized it right away, could have done something other than stand there. Gunn and Angel relied on him for his demon knowledge. It was his specialty, his main contribution, and he couldn't even do that right. And at the very least, he could have looked up the demon immediately upon returning to the hotel if he hadn't been so ungodly stupid. He could hear his father's smug voice in the back of his head. 

It was times like these he didn't miss England at all.

They arrived with a final squeal of the tires, and headed up to the doorway. Gunn knocked firmly, and Angel looked like he wanted to kick it down.

"Do you think they're still here?" Angel asked.

"They should be. Their mother probably has no idea what's going on."

"I don't trust her," Gunn muttered, and knocked harder.

Finally, the woman answered, all of her hair in curlers, and looking sleepy and scared at the same time. "What do you want?" She asked them skittishly.

"We saved your children's lives earlier tonight," Angel told her. "But we think they're still in danger. Will you let us in?" She hesitated for a moment, then opened the door wider. Angel took the unspoken permission and entered, followed by his two friends. 

"I'll go check on the kids," Gunn offered.

"No, I-I will," the woman stammered. "I just put them down to bed an hour ago. They were fine then."

She went to check, and was back in a few jittery seconds. "Fine, just fine," she laughed nervously.

Wesley stepped up. "My name is Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, and these are my associates, Charles Gunn, and Angel."

"And you gentlemen think my babies are in danger?"

"Yes, Mrs…"

"Ms. Walters. Deborah Walters."

"Ah. Yes, we do. That creature that was sent here, earlier this evening… we think someone sent it deliberately."

"That creature- what was it? I've never seen anything like it before."

"It doesn't matter," Wesley said gently. "We just need to know if there's anyone whom you think might be interested in harming your kids."

"No," she said, shaking her head. "Who would do such a thing? They're just kids. They're so young."

Wesley nodded. "Is their father in the picture at all?"

"No," she replied. He moved to New York a few years ago. Still sends checks, but hasn't been back to visit."

"Can I have his contact information?"

"I'm sure he doesn't have anything to do with this," she said. "He loves the kids, he just loves his career more."

"All the same," he prompted.

She gave out the information. "Oh!" She exclaimed afterwards. "Greg got into a fight with some bullies at school today. I don't think they like him much. He won."

"Greg being your ten-year-old?" Wesley asked. She nodded. "I don't think that has anything to do with it," he said apologetically.

"Is there anyone else involved in your life?" Angel joined the conversation.

"Drew," she replied brightly. "My boyfriend. We work together."

"Does he get along with the kids?"

Her expression turned grim again. "He wouldn't do anything to hurt them. He loves me too much."

"But does he like them?"

She sulked even more. "It's not them. It's just… kids. He doesn't like them in general. But the two of us still go out. Have fun."

"But the kids are in the way of anything more serious?" Gunn asked.

"It's not like that," she told him stiffly.

"We need information about him, too," Wesley told her. She shook her head. "We're just going to do a quick check. Nothing invasive. If he didn't do anything, he'll be fine."

"Who are you guys again?" She asked, frowning. "I mean, how did you even know about that creature, or my kids being in trouble?"

"We're detectives," Angel replied helpfully. "Angel Investigations."

"Right," she said. But she ended up giving them the information about Drew.

"Anyone else you can think of?" Wesley asked her one more time, and she shook her head.

***

Gunn ended up staying behind to watch the kids, to Ms. Walters' obvious displeasure. Angel and Wesley went back to the hotel to do some research.

"It was a good thing you found out what type of demon that was," Angel said awkwardly at one point. Wesley didn't respond.

When they arrived at the Hyperion, Cordelia was still on the couch, but sitting up. She looked over at them. "No luck?"

"Gunn's with them for now. Don't worry, nothing's going to happen to those kids." She nodded as if she believed them. Wesley went to get her more pills.

*** 

"How did they hire the demon, anyway?" Angel asked. "Is there a group of them, hanging around somewhere where I can kill them all? I bet I could take a whole bunch on at once. I mean, that first was no problem." 

"Doesn't work like that," Wesley replied from across the counter, nose in a book. "They're conjured up." 

"On the spot?" Angel asked. "Because that would rule out the father, he's still in New York."

"No," Wesley replied. "You can conjure them and send them after a far-away target."

"Good to know," Cordelia muttered. She pushed the sheets of paper she was working on away, annoyed. "Wesley, are we sure about this? We haven't found anything suspect about either of the two guys."

"Has to be one of them," Wesley said. "She couldn't think of anyone else close to them."

"Maybe it's some random guy."

"Hiring someone to hurt some kids he barely knows?"

"People can be evil."

"Yes, but traditionally in cases like that, they would inflict the damage themselves. In a case like this, with a hired assassin? Unless she's lying about enemies, it's probably someone on the inside."

"Maybe it's for the insurance money," Cordelia mused.

"That's cheerful," Angel sighed.

She looked at him. "Who do you think it is?"

He looked down. "I don't know. I just hope we find out soon so I can go kill it." Cordelia turned to Wesley.

"Father, I would think," he said. "Probably tired of paying child support money."

"See? Money." Cordelia nodded.

Angel frowned over at him. "But we've found nothing bad about this guy. He has a good job, makes more than enough, and hasn't been late with any payments. Why would he kill for something that doesn't even seem to be a big bother to him?"

"It may only be a small bother, but it's still there." Wesley looked up from his book, over to meet Angel's gaze. "He hasn't bothered to see them since he moved away. They're probably not even kids to him any more. Just annoyances. Something he has to bother with every month, that he'll be better off without."

Cordelia started doodling on her sheets. "This whole thing sucks."

"Yeah," Angel frowned. "I'm going to go check on Gunn. Give him a call."

"One of us should go relieve him later," Wesley said, nose back in his book. "Until we find out what's going on, those children won't be safe for a moment."

"Maybe we should go back there soon. We're not getting anywhere here."

***

When they finally returned to the house, many hours later and with no sleep in the interim, they found not one, but two people glaring at Gunn. He was staring back defiantly, twirling the axe in his hands.

"Where are the children?" Wesley asked.

"In their rooms," Gunn replied. "By the way, this here's Mr. Drew Fairbrook. He would like it if we all would leave."

"Yes, please," said the man, who had turned his glare to the newcomers. "I don't really know what's going on here, but I assure you those children are in no danger."

"How do you know? Where you here for the attack yesterday?"

"Certainly not! In fact, no one can give me a straight answer to what actually happened," he looked down questioningly at his girlfriend, who put her face in her hands.

"Everyone should just go away," she said tiredly.

"There is still an attempted murderer out there!" Wesley said forcefully. "No one is going anywhere until we find out who it is, and how to stop them. Now, Mr. Fairbrook, why don't you tell us what you were doing last night?"

"I told you!" Deborah rose to her feet angrily. "He had nothing to do with that! He wouldn't!"

"Wouldn't he?" Wesley looked pointedly. "I thought you said he didn't like children."

"You said that?" Drew asked. "Why did you say that?"

"Well, do you?" 

"Well, not really, no. But that doesn't mean I'd want to hurt any. Especially not Deborah's kids! I love her."

"Just not her kids."

He frowned. "It doesn't matter."

"Someone," Wesley said, "is doing this, and if you insist on your innocence, we need to figure out who."

"Angel," said Gunn.

"What?" Deborah asked.

"No," he turned to Wesley. "Where's Angel?"

"I don't- might he be checking on the kids?"

"Something like that," Angel said from behind the couple, who nearly jumped a foot in the air. "Actually, I was also checking on Ms. Walter's bedroom. Found some interesting stuff in there."

"How dare you!" Drew started in, but Deborah cut him off.

"What do you mean?"

Angel flashed her a predatory smile. "Conjure anything up lately?"

"I knew it," Gunn mumbled under his breath as Deborah gave them a deer-in-headlights look.

"You can't prove anything."

"Maybe not, but that's proof enough for us." Angel moved closer.

"What's going on?" Drew was doing a credible job acting confused.

"You can't tell me you weren't in on this. Get rid of the kids, have the happily-ever-after with the girl?"

"I told you, I don't have anything to do with this. Deborah?" 

"No," Deborah replied, "he didn't have anything to do with it. It was my plan." She sank back down to the couch as Drew gave her a wide-eyed look. "One of my friends from work gave me the info. She figured it would help."

"I can't believe it," Drew gasped. "You- you did that. You actually thought killing your children would bring us closer together?"

"No," she replied. "Well, yes, but that wasn't all of it. I didn't want kids any more."

"I don't think it works like that," Angel said impatiently.

"They were holding me back. You know that's the reason I didn't get that last promotion. Everyone knows I can't work late, can't work weekends. And when Suzy got sick last month, I had to leave work in the middle of the day. My boss hates that," she explained to Wesley and Gunn.

"You can't possibly believe we're going to be sympathetic to this at all," Wesley said disbelievingly.

She shrugged. "It's not fair. David got to leave. He got to leave, and be successful, without anything, anyone tying him down." She looked at Wes imploringly. "I love my kids. I just… love other things more."

Angel was still looking down at her menacingly. Wesley wondered what he would do. She was still a human, though not much of one. He couldn't just snap her neck, like any other evil thing, tempting as that might seem. He watched her face fill up with tears.

Angel suddenly reached forward and snatched her arm, in a move harsh enough to make her yelp.

"Come on," he growled. "We're going."

"Where? What are you going to do to me?"

"The police station. You're going to turn yourself in, for trying to poison your children. And Mr. Fairbrook here-" Drew gave him a terrified look "-is going to be the star witness."

"What if we don't cooperate?" She asked, trying to keep her voice somewhat level and failing miserably.

Angel vamped out. "I don't think that's going to be a problem."

No, it didn't appear that would be so. "Two things, before you go?" Wesley asked conversationally. "Friend or family member we can call to watch the kids? Also, I'd like the name of your friend at work who gave you that info."

***

"Horrible," Cordelia said.

"I know," Wesley replied. "I never would have thought it would be the mother. Those poor kids."

"No, I mean this food. You call this Thai? Why didn't Angel just go to the regular place?"

"I think that one was closer to the station. By the way, so glad to see you're feeling better again."

"I am," she nodded, then let her shoulders fall, and met Wesley's look with a serious one of her own. "What's going to happen to the kids now?"

"I don't know. Their father might have to take custody."

"At least he's not an evil killer."

"No," replied Wesley, "but…"

"They'll be safe at least," Cordelia said resolutely. "That's the important thing."

"Yes."

"Are you going to go kill that lady tomorrow? The one giving out free how-to-become-childless info?"

"I don't know," he sighed. "First I have to try and find out from her if this is at all a wide-spread thing."

That thought left them sulking into their Thai for the next few minutes.

Angel finally came in from the back.

"Where've you been?" Cordelia asked. "You missed the depressing conversation."

"Just in the garden," he replied. "It's nice out there." Cordy wrinkled her nose.

"Do you know where Gunn is?" Angel shook his head.

Gunn appeared a few minutes later, when they had finally consumed all the food they could stand, and dumped the rest in the trash.

"Hey, Wes," he called from across the lobby. "I've been working twenty-four hours, nonstop. You think we can get the rest of the night off.

"Certainly," Wesley replied, looking into his office at the paperwork still buried beneath demonic texts.

"Yay!" Cordelia jumped up. "Bubble bath, here I come!"

"What about you two? Any plans?"

"Well," Wesley started, "I was going to-"

"Invite me over for some DVD watchin'? Why thank you English, I'd love to." Wesley began to make an obligatory sound of protest, which was cut off when Gunn held up the DVD he had just bought. 

"Oh, 'You Only Live Twice!' That was next on our list, wasn't it?"

"You have a list?" Angel asked, amused.

"Course," Gunn replied. "Can't be missing any, can we? Each one's a classic. You in?"

"Not really up for spy movies tonight, but thanks." Angel sounded sincere.

Wesley grabbed his coat and mentally promised himself he'd be in early to finish up the expense reports.

"Hey, guys?" Angel called just as they were about to leave. "Nice work today." Gunn smiled.

"Yes, Wesley replied, trying to sound confident. Like the leader. "And you as well." He smiled back, then followed Gunn out the door. 

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Eloise in the Angel Book of Days Spring Challenge. Prompt: Wesley; Genre ~ Angst; ~ Mention of Wes' father issues ~ No Wes/Connor slash 
> 
> Author's notes ~ Thanks to Li for the beta and suggestions.


End file.
